Bengaluru: Holiday Rush Sees Residents Head Home, Private Buses Hike Fares (WATCH)

Bengaluru witnessed a massive rush as residents headed to their hometowns ahead of the Gauri-Ganesha festival. With KSRTC buses running full, private operators reportedly charged higher fares on several popular routes, leaving many travellers with limited options.

Bengaluru witnessed a massive rush at major KSRTC bus stands on Friday as thousands of passengers headed to their hometowns ahead of the Gauri-Ganesha festival. The extended weekend, with September 12 falling on the second Saturday, followed by Sunday on September 13 and the festival on September 14, triggered a sharp surge in demand for bus services. From around 5 PM onwards, major terminals including the Majestic bus stand, Mysore Road Satellite Bus Station and Shantinagar bus stand began witnessing heavy crowds.

The rush not only left bus terminals packed but also caused severe traffic congestion on roads leading to and surrounding the major bus stands. Even passengers who had booked tickets in advance reportedly faced difficulties locating their designated buses amid the crowds.

2,400 Extra Buses Hit The Road

To manage the surge in passenger demand, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) deployed an additional 2,400 buses. The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) also operated additional services to various cities to accommodate the increased demand.

As the evening progressed, the number of passengers travelling towards the bus stands from different parts of Bengaluru increased sharply. This led to heavy traffic and congestion on roads surrounding the terminals.

The movement of a large number of private vehicles towards the bus stands further slowed traffic in areas including Majestic, Malleswaram, Yeshwantpur and Shantinagar. Major routes leading out of Bengaluru, including Tumakuru Road, Mysore Road, Kanakapura Road and Hosur Road, remained heavily congested well into the night.

Transport Officials Conduct Checks

To prevent private bus operators from overcharging passengers, Transport Department officials had been conducting checks at major bus stands since Wednesday morning. Officials inspected buses for fare violations, warned several operators and imposed fines in some cases.

However, despite the checks, reports of private bus operators charging higher fares emerged again by Friday night as demand for tickets surged.

Private Buses Charge Higher Fares

With KSRTC buses operating at full capacity, many passengers were forced to turn to private bus operators. However, several travellers reportedly faced significantly higher ticket prices.

Fares on popular routes from Bengaluru to cities such as Mangaluru, Hubballi, Shivamogga, Belagavi, Ballari and Davanagere were reportedly as high as double the normal rates.

Passengers who were unable to secure seats on government buses were left with limited options and, in some cases, had to pay the higher fares to reach their hometowns ahead of the festival.

Looks like the entire city is heading out for the long weekend! Packed buses, packed trains, busy highways everyone seems to be leaving Bengaluru for the festival holidays.
For those staying back: 3 days of peaceful roads! #bengaluru #bangalore #trafficfree #yeshwantpur pic.twitter.com/tQnEhdzCcs

— Karnataka Portfolio (@karnatakaportf) September 12, 2026